


Stay Determined: The Story of Three Souls

by CapyWritesShit



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Dissociation, Gen, No Romance, On the surface, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, Panic Attacks, Past Character Death, Post-Pacifist Route, Self-Hatred, is it texhnically dissociation if you’re a ghost?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 14:00:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13296366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CapyWritesShit/pseuds/CapyWritesShit
Summary: Maybe with what little power you have left, you can SAVE something else...Undertale All Rights Reserved©️Toby Fox 2015





	1. Warning

!!!DISCLAIMER!!!

This story is based off the popular game 'Undertale', by Toby Fox. I take no credit for this wonderful game, nor do I take any credit for the characters or anything else related.

This story is very spoilery, right off the bat. If you have not played through and finished a Pacifist ending of Undertale, I suggest doing that and then reading this. You can continue if you please, but Undertale is an emotional game and is a journey for one to take on their own, not learning about such things through a fanfiction. It may also talk slightly about the Genocide route, though not much. Very slightly.

There might be some trigger warnings, such as mentions of suicide, death, and self hatred. If you are not comfortable with any of these subjects, I wouldn't read this. For your own sake, please. Even if it isn't mentioned too much, I don't want anyone to get triggered by anything. Please, read at your own risk. Be safe.

With that said, this story does belong to me, so please ask before translating or reposting somewhere else. Thank you!

Now that that's out of the way, enjoy!


	2. Sunshine

Asriel stood alone at the entrance to the Ruins. He was waiting, watching. Taking care of the flowers that had grown there. He knew what it was like to be a flower, he should've hated the flowers. Buttercups... the flower that almost killed his dad, that _did_ kill his best friend, and that he was doomed to be for so long.

He just stood there. He waited. He knew without the power and determination of the souls, he wouldn't be able to sustain his form as himself, he would become Flowey sooner or later. He didn't want anyone to suffer because of that, because of him. So he stood, and he waited.

Asriel tended to the flowers on a daily basis. He would make the trek to Toriel's old home in the morning, fill up the watering can, walk all the way back, and care for the flowers. He would water them once a day, and just stand there the rest of the day. Sometimes he would sit, let the sunshine from above wash over him. He would bask in the the light, the feeling finally being something other than nothing.

Most days he did nothing but think. He would think about all the monsters on the surface, how many times he had befriended them. Even if they didn't remember him, or think of him in the way he did them, he hoped they were all happy on the surface together, living good lives, away from captivity down below. On those days, he was often lonely.

He would think about how many times he had killed them, how many times he had destroyed them all just to get a reaction. How he had only killed certain monsters, to see what they said or did differently. How murdering only the skeleton brothers would effect Undyne. How killing only Undyne would effect Alphys. How killing only Alphys would effect Mettaton, and so on. On those days, he was often tired.

It had felt like weeks, if not months, when he finally gave up. He no longer watered the flowers. He didn't have the energy to get up and go to the house. He didn't enough energy to get up. He just lied there, staring up at the giant hole in the ceiling. The sunlight was no longer comforting, but a constant reminder that he could never go up to see the surface with all his friends, his family.

Something blocked his vision. The figure of a person, a human. He panicked, if only for a second. What if they saw him? What if they tried to hurt him, because he's right there? What if they try to kill him? Asriel was not ready to die, but he did want to just become Flowey already, get it over with. The figure got closer, and soon enough, he could make out just who it was.

Frisk, the human to save him. The one he had mistaken for Chara. His new friend. Frisk, the last fallen human. They got to the bottom of the cavern, and only then did he notice the rope around their waist, and when he looked up to see what it was attached to, the faint silhouette of another person was at the top, holding onto the rope for dear life.

Asriel gave them a patient, broken smile. Frisk payed it no mind, tugging on the rope slightly. All tension on it vanished, and they were able to move around freely. They walked up to Asriel, casting a large shadow over him, and blocking his vision of the sun. He looked them dead in the eyes as he spoke.

"Frisk, what are you doing here?"

Frisk said nothing, instead choosing to lie down on the ground next to him. Asriel was at a certain peace, one where he had nothing to say, and nothing to do. Frisk respected his wish and silent plead for silence. They stayed like that for quite a while, until the rope became slightly strained again. Once again, Asriel's peace was disrupted. A small sigh escaped Frisk's mouth as they stood up.

They moved to help Asriel up, but he didn't budge an inch. "Frisk, why bother? I'm just going to turn into a flower again. I don't want to hurt you, or the people you love. I can't hurt them again, I won't."

Silence.

"Frisk, don't you have anything better to do?"

Now, Frisk wasn't a person of many words, that much Asriel had gathered. They didn't talk much, but when they did, it was powerful. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, completely ridiculous. Still, Frisk only spoke when necessary. They kept it to a minimum.

What they said next shook Asriel down to his core.

"No. I have nothing better to do, Asriel. I have nothing better to do than sit here with you, in silence, enjoying each other's company. I have nothing better to do. If it takes sitting here with you for a million years, I'll do it. If it takes convincing you that you're not like Flowey, that you aren't Flowey, I'll do it. If it takes nothing more than comforting you, I'll do it. I'll do it, simply because I have nothing better to do. 

"Asriel, I care about you. The monsters on the surface, they care about you, we all do! If it takes convincing you that, I'll do it. All of us, we miss you. I refuse to let you rot away down here like this, I refuse to let you do this to yourself. It's been two weeks, Asriel. You aren't turning back into Flowey soon, and even if you do eventually, why waste your time as yourself down here, alone? Why not spend it with the people that love and care about you? If you turn into Flowey on the surface, what makes you think anyone will love you any differently? We'll still keep you with us, even if you aren't fully yourself. You know why?

"Because we care about you, Asriel. Because we have nothing better to do. Because nothing is better nor more important to us than you."

There was a pause, a momentary hesitation in their words. Asriel said nothing, he kept silent. He was shaken because of their words. He couldn't fathom what they were saying. He couldn't believe them.

"Come back to the surface with me."

His head swung up to stare at them, awe and fear evident in his face. No, he refused to...

"Toriel would be so much happier with you there. Asgore would probably tear up a bit. Alphys, knowing you came back as Asriel and not Flowey... even Undyne, I bet she'd be happy seeing you alive again."

He couldn't believe...

"Even Chara. They miss you, more than anyone else. Please, Asriel."

He couldn't...

"Okay. I'll come. Just...promise me something, Frisk."

He had to do it.

"When I turn back into Flowey...please, make sure no one gets hurt. Kill me, please."

He had to.

"C'mon, Asriel."

They walked forward, taking his paw in their hand. They lead him to the wall of the cavern. Their hand was softer than he remembered. The look on their face was...indescribable. They were happy, but there was something more. He was happy too, he had to admit. The thought of seeing his family again, seeing mom and dad and...

Wait.

Had they said Chara?

Frisk pulled lightly on the rope, signaling the person above to pull them up. They took both of Asriel's paws in their hands and held him close, like a hug. The warmth that spread through him at that moment was, speaking lightly, the most comforting feeling in the world. The rope around their waist started to pull them upwards, and as they started to ascend, as his feet left the ground, he started thinking.

Why was Frisk so nice? Sure they had forgiven him, but that didn't necessarily mean they had to be kind. They could still be upset. I mean, he had tried to kill them more than once, in every timeline. Their actions had no reason, they weren't understandable.

What was he to do when they got to the surface? Was he even ready? When he saw his parents, he was sure they'd be overwhelmed with joy, but then what? When he turned into Flowey, they would be heartbroken. They were the first time. Being their loving son, the one who felt so much compassion, turn into that soulless husk of a monster? He didn't want to think about that.

And what about Papyrus? What about all the times he had deceived him? Papyrus, while being the most outgoing and friendly monster in the underground, was the most naive and foolish as well. He didn't know who was friend or foe, he was ripped apart by Flowey so many times Asriel couldn't even remember half of them. How could be so forgiving?

And Sans? The name sent shivers crawling up Asriel's spine. He chose to ignore any lingering thoughts about that comedic skeleton.

Alphys. He had been her creation, she was the reason he had become Flowey. Still, without her, Asriel wouldn't be there, with Frisk, on their way up to the surface. He wouldn't have become Flowey, and in turn wouldn't have been saved by Frisk. Still, how many times had he repaid her kindness and curiosity with death and regret?

He let out a sigh, his grip on Frisk loosening by a tiny bit. Frisk, in return, tightened their grip on the monster. He felt like a true demon, once again. Flowey was the devil, and Flowey was him. He was Flowey. He hated himself for it, everything he had done. It was uncalled for, cruel, and completely disgusting.

He felt the fingers around his arms leave, and for a moment he felt like he was falling. Then, all at once, he was righted up on the ground and someone was grasping onto him. He had been taken into a hug by someone, it seemed. A human. With this thought in mind, Asriel felt a faint memory come into play.

This had to be them.

With his last real ounce of strength, Asriel hugged back, the tears he had been holding back for weeks finally dribbling down his face. It was his best friend, it was them. They were back. He clutched at their sweater, as if they were going to fade away at any given moment. His breathe became labored, and by the shaking, he could tell how close to crying they were as well.

He breathed in, the scent of old pie and vanilla filling his nose. "Chara..." he choked on the single name slipping off his tongue, a whole new flood of tears making their way to the ground. The human hugging him, Chara, held on tighter.

"Asriel, oh god," He felt them shake once more, before they both fell to their knees, still embracing one another. His best friend, his sibling. How...how did Frisk manage this? Bringing both him and Chara back? He had no time to think, he didn't care to think then. They were there with him, he didn't need to think, for once. He had something better to do, ironically.

Chara pulled away first, despite Asriel's obvious unwillingness to let go. They pulled back and took his face in their hands, looking at him with so much love that he was overwhelmed. He had missed them so much as Flowey, as Asriel. He had missed them so much. He held onto their arms with so much fear, the fear they were going to disappear.

"Asriel, I missed you so much. Oh my god, Asriel." He reciprocated the feelings, but before he could voice those thoughts, they brought him into a second hug. He relished at the contact, the feeling of warmth once again spreading through him like a wildfire. He was feeling love again, he was feeling again. Somehow, without a soul, he could feel.

"Chara, I'm so glad you're back. I missed you." He snuggled into their sweater. He wouldn't let them get away again, not so quickly. They sat like that for what could've been hours, before once again Chara pulled away all too early. They stood up and pulled him up with them, smiling that smile of theirs he knew was genuine.

Someone walked up behind him, grasping onto his paw and clenching it tight. He looked over, a grin spreading across his face. He had been lost in the moment of being reunited with Chara, of feeling the overwhelming feeling of love again, he had forgotten Frisk was there with them. He tightened his grip on their hand, a way if saying thank you, for everything.

He turned back to the cavern, a small feeling in the pit of his stomach willing him to go back. His fear, it was nagging at him. He would turn into Flowey soon enough. He would kill them all again.

He willed that feeling away, concentrating on the weight of the hands in his. Chara on his left, Frisk on his right, he finally took a moment to see the world, the surface. To bask in it's glory the right way, not at the bottom of a hole, willing the light away. He looked up, and he felt his entire mindset change.

It didn't matter if he turned back into Flowey. It would be worth it, if he got to see this everyday. The sun, it was beautiful. The grass, the flowers, the sky, the world. It was so majestic, so wondrous. Like some sort of fantasy that had come into real life. He could barely believe his eyes. They had to be deceiving him. Nothing in the world could be that perfect.

Yet there it was.

The surface was magnificent.

He looked at Chara on his left, tears still rolling down their face, though they did nothing to stop them. Their cheeks were not tinted red, like the last time he had seen them. Their eyes were not full of hurt, but wonder. He admired it.

He turned to Frisk on his right, the small smile adorning their lips, their eyes closed in relief. They still had the bandage on, and the rope was no longer tied around their waist. They seemed no longer at war with themself, like they were content. He admired it.

He looked back to the world ahead.

Everything was going to be just fine, he reassured himself.

Even if he did turn back into Flowey.

Even if he did become emotionless again.

He was going to enjoy every second he had on the surface, and he was going to do it with a smile.


	3. Invisible

Chara had always been an observer. They were never the one in action, always following behind. Like a shadow. They always helped their partner, Frisk, when they needed it most. They translated certain monster's speech, they Checked them all for them, they even sometimes gave tips or narrated the battles Frisk always seemed to find themself in.

But Chara had one issue with the arrangement, and one issue alone; no one but Frisk could see them. The Determination Frisk had, it was only enough to bring back Chara's spirit, to reignite the Determination in them. They were there, but not really. They were there in spirit.

Their body was still in the ground, they were still dead, their soul had still been shattered long ago. Chara was not living. This bothered them, more than Frisk knew. This bothered them because of what they had to witness. This bothered them because of what they had to go through. Chara knew just how impossible it would be to bring them back to life, if even for a moment, so they never complained. They stayed complacent, doing the job they had assigned themself the moment they met Frisk.

Chara had stood next to Frisk, their eyes wide. They had done it, Frisk had done it. They had freed the monsters from the Underground, they had broken the barrier, the surface was before them. Their friends, their family, stood beside them. Chara couldn't believe it then. After everything, they had really done it. Frisk was a hero.

Asgore had asked Frisk if they would be the human ambassador for monsters. They had, of course, accepted the offer. Papyrus shouted something about being the mascot and ran off and, after him, they all left, one by one, until only Toriel and Asgore were left. Chara could feel the tension. They had learned the story of their parent's split, and what exactly had happened.

"Whoops."

Asgore ran off after a mean glare from Toriel. The lady asked Frisk if they wanted to stay with her, and they said yes. Chara was overjoyed. Even if she couldn't see them, Chara would get to spend the rest of their days with their family, Frisk and Toriel, and even Asgore. Things would finally be happy again, her parents would be happy again.

They were upset they didn't get to be a part of that. They were upset Toriel didn't know they were there, screaming and crying and wishing to be seen. Toriel didn't know they were hugging her, speaking to her, hoping and wishing for her to notice them, at all, just for a second...but alas. Chara knew it was too good to be true. They were dead, they had no soul. The only reason they were even there the way they were, it was because of Frisk's Determination. Without that, they were nothing.

Chara had to live in silence, accept the fact that their actions had consequences. They died, and now they were brought back to "life", forced to live next to their family, without their family even knowing of their existence. That was the price of resurrection. They had to get over their sadness, their selfishness, and be happy for what the Dreemurrs had now.

They were living on the surface, albeit apart, but happy. They both had Frisk, a loving and caring child who would take care of them until the end of their days. They had Chara, they really did. Chara promised to make sure they were never harmed, in any way. They had a guardian angel, both of them.

Chara stared at their family from afar, admiring the way Frisk seemed to blend in so well, despite being human. Toriel, Asgore, heck even Alphys, Undyne, Sans, and Papyrus were there. Everyone was smiling, everyone was laughing. Everyone was happy. Everyone, with the exception of Chara. They didn't mind, or they didn't let on that they did. They stayed off to the side, watching, waiting. They couldn't leave Frisk, it was like they were bonded together. So Chara stood in the corner of the room, away from all the life and joy.

It was just too overwhelming.

Sans and Toriel were going at it, cracking puns left and right without hesitation. It seemed they worked together like cheese and crackers. Undyne was standing by the couch, one arm wrapped around Alphys. They had on matching shirts, and Alphys seemed so content that Chara almost flinched when Undyne suddenly jumped up, picking up Alphys and holding her above her head like a trophy. Alphys became a blushing, blubbering mess, and by the look on her face, Chara guessed that Undyne was pleased with herself.

Asgore was sat next to Papyrus who, with the occasional shout at Sans, was still smiling and laughing along. Both monsters seemed to dislike the puns, but didn't say way too much on the matter. Everyone was laughing and having a good time, neither one of them wanted to ruin that. Frisk, oh Frisk, they were sat in the middle of everyone, laughing the loudest and smiling the brightest, cracking a joke or two as well.

Chara stayed away from it all, pretending to be happy, to enjoy themself, if only for Frisk's sake. But as the other child looked back at them, the pure innocent joy and happiness on their face, Chara cracked. Their smile faltered. For a moment, they saw the small, defenseless, scared child that had fallen into the Underground so long ago. They didn't see Frisk, the human ambassador of monster kind, they saw Frisk, their friend. And they broke.

Frisk frowned, seeing their obvious discomfort and displeasure. They tried to look upbeat, by smiling their most convincing smile. Apparently, it's not so convincing, because a second later Frisk was excusing themself to go to the bathroom, taking Chara along with them. They walked out of the room in silence, the only thing needed for the conversation being actions. Frisk took Chara's hand in theirs, not pausing for a moment. Chara let themself be dragged along, wondering what was so important that they had to leave?

In no time at all, they were out the front door, Frisk taking their hands (which were now intertwined) and stuffing them into their pockets. Chara floated along beside them, expecting the child to stop at any point. They hoped so, at least. They didn't think they'd be able to take another issue to deal with. They had so much to deal with already. So, so much. They just wanted this to be a peaceful walk.

"Chara,"

Of course not.

They already had so much to deal with. So much hurt, so much stress, so much pain and sorrow and loss, so so much. Being completely invisible to their family, being tied to Frisk eternally, being dead, watching as they lived peacefully, _without them, without **Asriel**_. Chara just had so much stuff to deal with, whatever Frisk needed, _had_ to wait. But of course, Frisk waited for no one.

"Yeah, Frisky?"

"Why are you always so upset? Did I do something wrong?"

Oh. They sure weren't expecting that. Chara paused in their movements, eventually causing Frisk to pause and look at them. They seemed to be unable to comprehend the question, their mind racing. Frisk was...worried? Why? Chara couldn't be that important to them, they were just...Chara. They did nothing significant but split their parents up and die.

Their smiling facade faltered. They stopped floating, their feet touching to the ground, almost falling to their knees. Chara couldn't...what? What did they mean, 'always so upset'? Chara was perfectly fine. Chara was always fine! Suddenly, out of nowhere, they started to tear up. Frisk became frantic. They both fell to their knees, one trying to hold the other up. Frisk made multiple sounds of discomfort and worry, concern and distress. Chara just started sobbing.

"W-what are you...talking a-about, F-Frisk? I-I'm fine! Like...a-always!" They held a hand over their mouth, the other untangling with Frisk's to gain some space, any space at all. They felt terrible, to the point where they stopped feeling. Overbearing panic seeped into their skull, and all at once, Chara felt themself being pulled out of the world around them.

They couldn't hear anything but their own shuttering breath. Everything else was white noise to them. They couldn't feel anything, they just _couldn't_. They tried to focus on their breathing. In and out, in and out. It didn't work, they lost track of their breathing and became more panicked. They fell to the ground, curling up into a ball and holding their head in their hands. Everything was so loud. The white noise was so loud. They felt someone touch their arm, and they jerked away.

Why? Chara couldn't comprehend what they were feeling...they had no soul. They couldn't feel love. Then...then what was this feeling? Frisk, they needed Frisk to stop. Why was Frisk being so nice to them? They had been nothing but problematic, and they hadn't done anything helpful for them since the fight with Asriel! Chara just wished they understood. Chara wanted to understand, but...

"My child, what are you doing?"

Chara yanked their head up, their eyes going wide at the sight before them. Frisk was on the ground next to them, their hand out to Chara. They wanted to help, they were trying to help. Toriel, their mom, was standing behind Frisk. She looked distressed and confused. It made sense, since she couldn't see them. She had no clue Chara was right there, crying. Screaming. Wanting.

In that small moment, Chara started to calm down. They just wanted to be alive again. They didn't want to be invisible anymore. Toriel looked straight at them, they made eyes contact. The way her pupils dilated slightly, her mouth just barely opened. As if she could see them, like she knew they were there. Like she could sense them. It brought them back to reality, no longer freaking out like they were. They took a deep breath, then another, and another. Finally, they were calm. Frisk went to touch Chara, but Toriel reached down and helped them up, barely sending Chara a second glance.

"Frisk, what are you doing out here? You had excused yourself to the restroom, and I became worried when you did not come back! If you had wanted to go for a walk, you could have just told me. Come now, my child. We should be getting back home, the other's are waiting for us." Toriel said nothing further, looking away from where Chara was on the ground. It seemed like she was just barely shaking her head, as if trying to rid herself of a memory. Trying to rid herself of Chara. She turned around, taking Frisk's hand in hers and guiding them back to the house they lived in. Chara had no choice but to follow.

Frsik took Chara's hand as soon as Toriel wasn't looking. They gave them the most apologetic, yet caring look Chara had ever seen. They felt tears well in their eyes again. Frisk was a blessing, to them and to monster kind. How they were so forgiving, so loving, so determined, Chara would never know. They barely had half the determination Frisk had. Maybe that was why they were...

No, they refused to cry again. They refused to cause any more trouble than they already had. The tears were out of their system, and now they had to be strong once again. Besides, Toriel was right. Frisk shouldn't be outside wondering around alone, they could get hurt, or worse.

When they finally got home, Toriel let Frisk go say goodbye to everyone before they left. Undyne, Alphys, Sans, Papyrus, Asgore. Toriel bid them all farewell, and they were gone. As the clock struck nine, Toriel told Frisk to go get ready for bed. They did as they were told, hugging Toriel goodnight and trekking up the stairs to their bedroom. Chara lied down on the bed as Frisk got changed, finally feeling the bed dip as their cue to leave. They instead floated over to the end of the bed, curling up under the blanket and using their arms as a pillow.

Yeah, this was fine. Chara was fine. Chara was always fine.

They would always be fine, never upset. They had to be strong, for Frisk. If anything, for Toriel and Asgore. For Asriel.

And as they fell asleep, their mind going off to other places, drifting into a world unknown, Chara smiled.

For Asriel.


	4. Children

Asriel and Chara were so young when it happened. So young, that when Chara was brought back as a spirit, they were the same age as the child with the Determination. They, at least, appeared the same age. They felt the same age. They didn't remember anything up until that point, when Frisk fell and awoke them with the sheer determination radiating from them.

Chara remembered everything until their death. They were just children when it happened. They remember urging Asriel to just kill the humans, get the souls! They just needed six more souls, and they were dying. He was dying! Their brother was dying. He was just a child. They kept getting shot, but Asriel didn't do a thing. He didn't fight back. Chara remembered getting desperate, crying and yelling, fighting with Asriel for control. Until he told them it was no use. They were already going to die. There was no point in giving in to the idea of what the humans though the monsters really were.

Chara couldn't believe how selfish and childish they were being. Asriel was right. They hobbled back to the Underground. Asriel held them while they sobbed and clung to him. They both knew it would be the last time they would be alive together, the last time they would ever be able to hold each other. As they faded, falling down, their dust scattering across the flowers, Chara felt feint, and they blacked out, holding onto Asriel with all their remaining strength.

They woke up on a similar bed of flowers, but instead of the castle, a giant hole was above them, sunlight pouring in. Next to them, sat a child about their age. Human. A human child.

That was the start of Chara's second journey.

Chara remembered way back, when they first fell into the Underground. They had been so scared, so afraid of everyone, everything. They had assured this child that they were safe, that monsters meant no harm. After all, the monsters were more afraid of them than they were of the monsters.

Chara had woken up on the same bed of flowers. Asriel had been going through the Ruins, to check up on everything, explore, adventure around. He found them there, almost dead, struggling to breathe. He had brought them back through the Underground, to the castle. Toriel had healed them. They had been accepted into the royal family immediately. They were loved, cherished. Like they were actually a part of the family. They loved them.

Chara loved the entire Underground. All the monsters were unique, so lovely and kind and crazy in their own charming ways. All the places, they were all so different, so beautiful. Chara loved dragging Asriel around, just exploring everything in the Underground. Looking at places, talking to monsters, getting comfortable. They loved it down there.

Chara remembered when they and Asriel tried to make pie without their mom around. They had...mistaken cups of butter for buttercups. Looking back on it, Chara felt so stupid. How incompetent did children have to be to make that mistake? Then again, they were only nine. So young. They had only tried to make their dad a lovely pie, for his birthday.

Asriel had cried. Chara had done what they always did when something terrible happened. They laughed. They laughed as the tears trailed down their face, staring at the fear of their dad's death and they laughed and laughed. They spent those nights in Asriel's bed, cry-laughing as he cried, trying to fall asleep. Neither was ever very successful in that department.

Asgore had healed fine. Toriel had scolded them for hours upon hours, telling them next time they decided to bake, ask for her help. They did, and the three of them made the best cinnamon-butterscotch pie to ever touch the Underground.

Chara and Asriel were just children. Chara understood how depressed the citizens of the Underground were. They understood that, more than anything, the monsters wanted to escape. They forged a plan, with the little knowledge they had.

Asriel was reluctant at first, and Chara really couldn't blame him. He wanted nothing more than for his people to be happy, but if that really came at the cost of Chara's life? He was horrified. Eventually, however, Chara warmed him up to the idea. It'll be okay, they would tell him. All of monsterkind with be freed.

Of course, it didn't exactly work out that way.

Asriel was just a child when he was turned int Flowey. He was only a child when he resorted to murder for amusement. His mind corrupted, and the world around him became dull. Chara could attest that they, too, felt that way. After so many resets, Chara wanted to yell at Frisk too. They wanted too scream and shout, ' _What's the point?! You've done everything you can here! Just stop!_ '

They wanted to cry, but they couldn't. They stayed strong, only helping Frisk along the way. At least they were doing good, Chara would remind themself. At least Frisk was only helping, despite resetting as soon as they reached the surface.

Until it wasn't like that anymore. Frisk was just a child when they slaughtered an entire species, relentlessly murdering innocent civilians who only wanted to defend themselves. Chara was just a child when they watched, helpless, as they family was killed before their vary eyes.

Chara wanted to weep. They wanted to hurt Frisk, they wanted protest that what they were doing wasn't right. But, soon enough, Chara thought they understood. They were just a child, after all. The killing, it was the right thing to do. The monsters were coming after Frisk first, right? Maybe they had all changed since Chara died. They didn't know any better, so much was already so different, who were they to say what was right or wrong anymore?

Chara was just a child when they helped Frisk bring down the Underground, monster by monster.

Chara was just a child when they went through their first pacifist run after dozens of killing sprees.

Chara was just a child when they fell to their knees, begging their brother for forgiveness, praying and sobbing and weeping that they were confused, they were swayed, they had no idea what came over them.

Chara was just a child when Frisk stopped resetting.

Chara was just a child when Frisk reached into the darkness and lifted them from the depths, giving them half a soul to live with.

Chara was just a child when they reunited with their family, the cries of apologies for their sins falling from their lips like a mantra.

Chara may still just be a child, but they know better now.

Chara is no longer _just_ a child.

Chara is a child, but that does nothing to stop them from living the best damn life they possibly can.

**Author's Note:**

> one of the first stories that I wrote, please be nice to past me.


End file.
